


Over The Edge

by Guardian_Rose



Category: The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types, The Shadowhunter Chronicles - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M, There's some graphic blood mentions if anyone wants to avoid that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-27
Updated: 2019-04-27
Packaged: 2020-02-07 10:54:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,379
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18619204
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Guardian_Rose/pseuds/Guardian_Rose
Summary: Date night is interrupted, painfully, when Max and Rafe are stolen away without a hint as to who could have done it.***But he couldn’t. Not right now. Alec twisted, kicking a leg out and catching the end-table. The lamp, thankfully turned off, fell and shattered on the wooden floor.“Alexander!” Magnus snapped.





	Over The Edge

**Author's Note:**

  * For [crispyoperawolfdean](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=crispyoperawolfdean).



> This was written for a prompt from crispyoperawolfdean over on tumblr. I hope this fulfils your wishes!

There was something off about the loft when they got home. Something was just not  _ right _ . But Magnus couldn’t place what it was. The door’s had been locked still, the wards hadn’t triggered, the kids’ toys were still haphazardly left around the floor, the lights weren’t casting shadows from something out of place. The streets outside were busy as usual even late into the evening as it was. Alec was at his side, leaving his shoes in their place by the door under the rack of coats with the frog umbrella Max had been gifted by Simon at christmas (Rafe had been given a pyjama set with a repeating pattern of a little drawing of Chairman meow). 

 

Magnus stood in the middle of the living room, mentally telling himself to stop fixating on nothing. They had about an hour until they’d need to go and pick up the boys from Clary and Jace; their date night had been perfect so far. Well. Perfect for them. There’d been a brief tangent when they’d had to stop a fight between a couple of vamps during their walk home but that was nothing if not normal for them. Alec’s confidence at having been able to settle it all peacefully, that the two women had listened to him and hadn’t been scared of him on recognition of his runes...the smile on Alec’s face had been well worth the disturbance. Speaking of the man, Alec had finally followed him and settled behind him, arms around Magnus’ stomach and chin resting on his shoulder. His contented sigh tickled Magnus’ ear. He slid his fingers inbetween Alec’s and squeezed. 

 

“You okay?” Alec asked quietly. 

 

Magnus hummed, hoping he sounded more sure than he felt but Alec’s silence was expectant, patient but still knowing that Magnus wasn’t giving the full truth. “There’s just...something different. I can’t put my finger on it.”

 

“I know what you mean,” Alec said.

 

Magnus hadn’t realised he’d been holding on to the worry that Alec would dismiss it, would call him silly and move on, he really should’ve known not to doubt Alec like that, but insecurities lingered longer than one ever wanted them to.

 

“It’s quiet,” Alec continued, “without the boys, it’s a lot quieter. I’m used to hearing them playing or talking.”

 

“Or arguing,” Magnus added wryly.

 

Alec laughed, unselfconscious and beautiful. “Debating, they call it debating, remember.”

 

“Ah yes, how could I forget. What exactly is the difference?”

 

Alec’s laughter was contagious, it was bubbling up in Magnus’ chest too.

 

“You know,” Alec began, having calmed, “we still have an hour or so to ourselves…”

 

Magnus let go of Alec’s hands to turn in the circle of his arms, sliding his hands up Alec’s chest to loop around his neck, fingers brushing through the short hairs at the nape of Alec’s neck. Alec’s pleased hum in response was all the invitation Magnus needed. He let Alec set the pace; he trusted Alec like no one else in the world to know what he wanted, to know what to avoid, to hold Magnus up when his balance was lost. Balance was inconsequential when Alec was there, kissing him and holding him and- 

 

Alec’s hands tightened around his back, grabbing fists of Magnus’ shirt, and he pulled back with a pained gasp. Magnus, mind frozen in shock, didn’t hesitate to shift them so he was holding up Alec instead. 

 

“Alexander? Alec? What’s wrong?” 

 

Alec dropped his head onto Magnus’ shoulder, knees buckling so Magnus lowered them to the ground as gently as possible but Alec was still breathing out harshly. His whole body tensed in pain. He whimpered as they hit the floor. Magnus was desperately trying to get Alec to show him where the pain was, to point if he couldn’t talk through it but Alec was just clawing at Magnus’ back like he was going to fall away if he didn’t. Their comfortable evening shattered, Magnus still couldn’t help thinking that he was glad the boys weren’t there. That they didn’t have to see this. 

 

“Alec, Alec, come on, tell me where and I can help,  _ please _ .”

 

There were tears soaking through to Magnus’ shoulder and if it hadn’t been for the cold adrenaline and  _ fear _ spiking through his veins, Magnus was sure he’d be crying too. But he couldn’t. Not right now. Alec twisted, kicking a leg out and catching the end-table. The lamp, thankfully turned off, fell and shattered on the wooden floor. 

 

“Alexander!” Magnus snapped.

 

Alec froze, still shaking, shivering. But he was holding himself still, fingers digging almost painfully into Magnus’ back. Magnus twisted one arm, the one not holding onto Alec’s back, to tease one of the hands in his shirt away, he brought it round to rest over Magnus’ chest to try and get him to follow his breathing. It mostly worked but it was clear the pain wasn’t fading away. If he were to try and use his magic now, to heal something unknown, he could risk expending power he’d need later when he knew what was wrong. If he could leave Alec he could find his stele and try and activate his iratze rune or he could call Jace and-- Jace. A wound that couldn’t be seen or found. But was clearly real. Clearly tangible. Jace.

 

“Alec, darling, Alec, just nod if I’m right, okay?” Magnus tried to keep his voice level, calm, but even he knew that he wasn’t pulling it off well. “Is it Jace? Is it Jace that’s hurt?”

 

A beat of silence. Another. A nod. 

 

The boys.

 

“Okay, okay,” Magnus soothed when Alec’s breath stuttered again, starting to speed up once more. “I can-- this should help. But we need-- Alexander, come on, love, you’re gonna be okay. Trust me. We need to go find him, Clary should’ve used an iratze by now if he’s hurt. We have to go find them, the boys are--”

 

“I know.” Alec said at last, voice cracked. “Stele, jacket pocket.”

 

Magnus hesitated for a split second, enough time for Alec to try and forcibly pull back, slipping onto the floor, arms wrapped around his stomach. Magnus scrambled to his feet, not turning his back on Alec once. He didn’t dare. 

 

***

 

_ Jace is unconscious, a crumpled heap in the remains of the Institute’s garden bench. The little bonfire is nought but embers and ash, scattering on the soft breeze. There are little sticks dropped around it, marshmallows half-eaten and half-toasted. Clary is trapped. Pinned to the wall with mangled remnants of the metal fencing. There’s blood everywhere. Alec searches all of the institute whilst Magnus brings Clary and Jace back from the brink of death. Each room bears evidence of their lives. The photos on the mantle. The toys pushed to corners and sides of the room until next wanted. The unwashed dishes sitting by the sink in the kitchen. Church does not lead Alec anywhere. He follows only. That is when Alec knows, as he’d known in his gut since the pain had started, that they’re not going to be found here. He stumbles back outside into the garden, every cell in his body screaming in agony, of more than one kind. Clary is lying down, crying, but no longer bleeding from too many points. Jace cradles her head in his lap, eyes downcast and anger radiating from him. Anger and shame. Magnus catches Alec as his knees buckle, lowers him to the ground. He remembers the shouting he’d heard whilst searching in the Institute, the distant memory that maybe it had been him; his throat is hoarse when he speaks. _

 

_ “They’re not here.” _

 

***

 

Jace was the one who told them what happened. Who closed his eyes because he clearly couldn’t bear to look either Magnus or Alec in the eye as he told them how they were caught off guard. That something had taunted Max up to the edge of the fence, where the wards closed off, weaker than the ones on the Institute's doors and walls. Clary had noticed, alerted Jace. She’d tried to grab Rafe, stop him from following as Max talked to someone they couldn’t see through the fence. Jace had, of course, drawn his weapons and pulled Max away as fast as he could. Max had cried. Had shouted for his parents. Alec reached for Magnus’ hand at this, knowing they were both reeling with everything they were being told, but Magnus shook his head, standing and starting to pace. Blue sparks glittering around his fists. 

 

Jace had gotten a hit in before he’d been tossed aside with the sweep of a hand and a burst of rusted orange magic. Rafe had tried to run for Jace’s discarded sword but Clary had held him back, tried to send them inside but Max had been a mess, crying and screaming, magic volatile and undulating around him in pulsing waves. Magic that lashed out to cause pain if someone got too close. Jace had passed out just as he heard Clary’s scream and Rafe trying to carry Max away, the only one who wasn’t hurting from the boy’s untamed magic. 

 

Clary picked up the story there. Of how she’d been left, held up on the wall by the fence bars. The boys were taken away, against their will. They’d been caught off guard. That was all it had taken. 

 

***

 

Magnus watched, a pang of fresh guilt in his chest, as Alec disappeared into the Institute. Jace trailed after him. Magnus should follow him too. Should comfort and hold him--  _ them _ together. But. But there was a high chance that he knew who was behind all this. Who they needed to hunt down as soon as possible. Clary, talking on the phone behind him, was going to need time to fully heal. He’d done all he could but he wasn’t a trained healer, not like Catarina and he couldn’t call her to come and help. He took a deep breath. Then another. He couldn’t put Alec in danger too. He knew he couldn’t stop the man from coming with him altogether, not with their children on the line, and he’d never do Alec the injustice of trying. However. He could keep Alec back. Just a bit. If his plan didn’t work then it would only be him who was hurt or...worse. Alec and the boys would be safe and that was worth anything. 

 

Clary hung up and strode back over, lines creasing her brow as she winced at each step. “Isabelle is on her way. We’ll find them, Magnus, we will.”

 

Magnus nodded, stepping away from Clary’s well meaning hand on his shoulder. Alec emerged again at the same time, Jace again a few steps behind but Magnus couldn’t focus on Jace for longer than a couple seconds. Alec was bristling with fury, his normally soft and warm eyes were simultaneously burning and ice cold, like he’d shut himself down from anything but this mission. His bow was strapped on his back, the quiver Magnus had enchanted all those years ago on Alec’s birthday was there too. Blades hung from his waist too and Magnus was willing to bet that there were more hidden around his boyfriend’s body. He was armed to the teeth. Armed and stalking down the garden path towards Magnus.

 

“You can track them with something from the loft, right?” Alec asked, gaze boring desperately into Magnus’.

 

Magnus nodded. ‘ _ Only if he wants them to be found though, _ ’ he didn’t say. Alec was better off not knowing. 

 

“Then let’s go.”

 

“Alec, we have to wait for Izzy,” Clary piped up, she lifted her hand as if to grab Alec’s arm but Jace shook his head sharply and she dropped it. “Or, I’ll text her to tell her to meet us at the loft.”

 

Alec turned back to Magnus, who’d already started drawing up the portal.

 

***

 

“How much longer?”

 

“Leave him be, let him focus.”

 

“It’s been twenty minutes, Izzy, why isn’t it working?”

 

“Alec, you know there are limits to what tracking can do.”

 

“I know but--”

 

“Alexander!” Magnus snapped, dropping his concentration to glare at his boyfriend, who’d frozen mid-step and was looking at him in shocked apology. “Go and put some runes on Jace or vice versa or  _ something _ . I can’t do this with you pacing and squabbling with your sister, you know that.”

 

“But what if--”

 

“Alexander,” Magnus repeated, softer this time; both their nerves were frayed to the edge of splitting apart entirely and they shouldn’t be letting it out on each other.

 

“Fine.” 

 

Alec spun on his heel and left the room, leaving just Isabelle behind who smiled encouragingly up at him from the couch. He sent a strained smile back.

 

***

 

Magnus hovered in the doorway to the kitchen, taking a second to watch Alec be coached through deep breaths by his parabatai, until Jace caught his eye over Alec’s shoulder. He sighed and stepped over the threshold. 

 

“Can I speak with Alec? Alone.” 

 

Jace frowned a little, muttered something to Alec who waved him away without looking up from the countertop, but left them alone all the same. 

 

“It didn’t work, did it?” Alec said more than asked as Magnus leaned back against the counter next to Alec, he rested a hand over one of Alec’s which were gripping the edge of the surface until his knuckles were white.

 

“No,” was all he could say. 

 

Alec’s head dropped. “Shit.”

 

“Lily has the clan out looking for as long as they can. Maia too.”

 

“We don’t even know if they’re still  _ alive _ . I- Magnus, I don’t- The amount of people out there who hate us, who’d do this to get back at us...it could be anyone.”

 

Magnus felt a chill race down his spine, settling into his stomach. “Alexander, you can’t--”

 

“No. Magnus,” Alec snapped upright, pushing away from the counter, “if I wasn’t a shadowhunter, none of this would be happening! There wouldn’t be people after our  _ children _ to get back at me for the things we’ve done to them, the ways we’ve hurt them and punished them and killed them for being who they are. If--”

 

“You haven’t killed anyone!” Magnus shouted, grabbing Alec’s wrist as he tried to walk away. “You haven’t killed a single downworlder in cold blood. The most you’ve done is protect yourself or your family. So stop. Stop this. It isn’t helping the boys and it isn’t helping you.”

 

Magnus was glad that Alec wasn’t trying to pull away again, he was just grinding his teeth together. Jaw clenched in a way that he was sure would give Alec toothache later. He waited until it was made clear that Alec had nothing to say before he carried on.

 

“We’re going to find them. They know we’re coming for them. But you can’t get there and drop dead at their feet because you pushed yourself over the edge.”

 

***

 

_ The note flutters into Magnus’ hand as the sky turns dark. The summer breeze had blown away the clouds and the stars shone down like they’d been made just for a night like this. Simultaneously achingly beautiful and glitteringly empty. Alec, who’d been leaning against the far wall to watch the loft’s door, crosses the room in seconds to peer over Magnus’ shoulder as he reads it. The others are crowded round, waiting with bated breath.  _

 

_ “Who sent it?” Clary asks as Magnus begins his second read, Alec swears under his breath, loud enough only for Magnus. “What’s it say?” _

 

***

 

He doesn’t remember it later. Not all of it, at least. He remembers a lot of what he felt. The flashes between relief, then fury and rage, hope. Fear. A lot of fear. He remembers arguing with Alec, again. In the end, he lost and Alec stayed at his side whilst the others stayed to fight off the demons. He doesn’t remember getting to the room but he remembers entering, Alec a step behind, bow strung and expression grim. He remembers locking eyes with Max, cradling the limp but breathing body of his older brother. He remembers holding Alec back with reflexive magic. Asmodeus, standing tall and cruel in the centre of the room, the boys behind him at the base of a pillar. He’d known he’d find his father there. His magic still flared. Rushing in his ears, colouring his vision. As ever, Asmodeus started to talk so Magnus used that to his advantage. He started to bombard him with spells, more flash than damage, but enough to distract him long enough for Alec to flank the greater demon and let loose three arrows into his back. Asmodeus screamed and turned for Alec. That was when Magnus let his rage go, channeled it into his attacks. Alec and him, they knew each other intrinsically, could adjust with to each other’s choices without a word or look. It was no surprise that their combined fury was enough to banish Asmodeus back where he belonged. 

 

They’d reached the boys at the same time. All but Rafe, still asleep, crying and hugging and talking over each other. Magnus dropped to his knees, listing to the side. Max was calling his name. Tiny hands patting his cheeks. Then an arm around his shoulder and a burst of shared strength was the last thing he remembered before he fell.

 

***

 

Everything returned quickly. Not all at once. But one after the other and the other and the other. The light on the back of his eyelids, the different weights resting on his legs and chest and someone was playing with his hair too. He blinked his eyes open, trying to make sense of where he was and what had happened but he was struggling to hold onto anything after...after...after--

 

“Magnus,” Alec said, one hand resting on his chest and one in his hair to hold him down, he sounded tired but calm. “It’s okay, we’re all here.” 

 

Magnus felt more than saw Alec press a kiss to his forehead. What he’d mistaken for pillows and the mattress beneath him was in fact his boyfriend. The weight on his legs were the boys, both asleep. In clean pyjamas and damp hair. They were home. In their bed. The Chairman sat by the door which was open just a crack and letting light from the hall in. Magnus tilted his head back and sure enough Alec’s hair was damp too. Alec had an easy smile, easy to spend forever trying to incite, easy to spend forever admiring. 

 

“I missed bath time?” Magnus whispered, feeling his own smile grow as Alec rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

 

“You were unconscious and you needed to rest,” Alec’s hand moved to rest over Magnus’ heart as he closed his eyes, Magnus wanted to reach up and smooth away the small crease that had formed along Alec’s brow but he couldn’t dislodge the boys, not yet. “Anyway, what happened to not pushing ourselves over the edge?”

 

Magnus huffed a laugh, Rafe snuffled and tightened his grip on Max’s sleeve. “I knew you’d catch me, Alexander.”

 

“I shouldn’t have had to.” Alec said, voice a bit louder than he’d intended.

 

They both stilled as Rafael started shuffling again, then Max too. 

 

“We’ll talk about it later,” Magnus promised, knowing Alec would just stress himself out if they didn’t. Not that it was a conversation he particularly wanted to have. 

 

Rafe’s eyes blinked open, then scrunched closed again, whilst Max yawned. Magnus sat up to lift Max up to rest on Magnus’ chest as he leant back against Alec once more. Where Rafael was all energy first thing in a morning and then calmer in the day, Max took a long time to get to his daytime energy levels so to avoid arguments between the boys it was best to give Rafe space to wave his arms and bounce on his knees. Alec kept one hand running through Magnus’ hair and traded Magnus’ heartbeat for Max’s. Magnus couldn’t help grinning, heart full to bursting with content adoration, as Max tried to bury himself into Magnus’ chest and Rafe opened his eyes properly, they lit up as they met his. This was his family. And he’d be damned if anyone, especially his father, tried to change that.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! <3
> 
> Comments and prompts (Not NSFW) welcome! 
> 
> Come and find me for fics and more writing at [TheWordForest](https://thewordforest.tumblr.com/)


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